Jeff Schudel's NFL rankings: Browns, Jets rising in rankings

Cleveland Browns strong safety T.J. Ward returns an interception 44 yards for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game Thursday, Oct. 3, 2013, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/David Richard)

The NFL standings and our power rankings are starting to look like one of those inverted Christmas trees. What traditionally should be on the top is on the bottom.
Who could have predicted the Browns and Jets would be 3-2 after all the doom and gloom predicted for both teams? No one expected the Falcons to be 1-4 or the Giants an unexplainable 0-5 in mid-October, either.
The Browns are a season-best 15th in our power rankings today. They have won three straight and if they beat the Lions on Sunday, a team they are chasing in the rankings, they will equal the four-game winning streak they posted at the end of 2009.
“We’re not over-celebrating or overdoing our position right now and that’s what I like about it,” safety T.J. Ward said. “We’re staying grounded and we’re focused on the next win and the next team and getting that next win.”
The Lions, also 3-2, are slotted three spots above the Browns. Apparently Las Vegas agrees because the bookmakers made the Lions 2 1/2-favorites for the game in FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Jets made the biggest jump this week, climbing from 26th to 17th by virtue of beating the Falcons in Atlanta on Monday night. Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan never lost back-to-back games at home until the Patriots and Jets beat the Falcons in the last two games. Atlanta, 17th last week, is in the low-rent district at 21st today.
The Broncos remain on top of the rankings after winning their shootout in Dallas, 51-48, but there has been a change in second place. The Saints have taken over the spot previously occupied by the Seahawks. The Seahawks, 4-1, slipped to fourth when they were beaten by the Colts in Indianapolis.
The bottom of the power rankings is unchanged. The Jaguars are entrenched in 32nd and will take a “nothing to lose” attitude into their game with the Broncos in Denver on Sunday. The Broncos are 27 1/2-point favorites, according to sports-odds.com. It is believed to be the widest point spread since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970.
Schudel’s Week 6 NFL power rankings:
1. Denver Broncos (5-0, last week: 1): The Broncos will have to play better defensively than they did against the Cowboys to finish undefeated.
2. New Orleans Saints (5-0, LW: 3): Everything seems perfect in The Big Easy now that Sean Payton is back in town.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0, LW: 4): The Chiefs and Broncos don’t meet until Week 11 and then again two weeks later.
4. Seattle Seahawks (4-1, LW: 2): The Seahawks struggled in Houston last week and then lost in Indianapolis on Sunday.
5. Indianapolis Colts (4-1, LW: 6): The Colts proved how dynamic their offense is by beating the previously undefeated Seahawks.
6. San Francisco 49ers (3-2, LW: 7): The 49ers thrashed Houston on a night with a devastating running attack and powerful defense.
7. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2, LW: 9): The Bengals still look like the best team in the AFC North after knocking off the Patriots on Sunday.
8. New England Patriots (4-1, LW: 5): Tom Brady threw at least one touchdown pass in 52 straight games before the Patriots lost in Cincinnati.
9. Green Bay Packers (2-2, LW 12): Defense saved the day for Green Bay on a day when a knee injury kept Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson inactive.
10. Baltimore Ravens (3-2, LW: 12): The Ravens kept things tight at the top of the AFC North by beating the Dolphins in Miami.
11. Miami Dolphins (3-2, LW: 11): The Dolphins gave the Ravens a strong fight Sunday but let them off the hook in the end.
12. Detroit Lions (3-2, LW: 10): After beating the Bears in Week 4, the Lions failed to pull off the NFC North double vs. Green Bay.
13. Chicago Bears (3-2, LW: 8): The Bears are tumbling with two straight losses. Fortunately for them, they get the Giants at home Thursday.
14. Arizona Cardinals (3-2, LW: 20): The Cardinals have won two straight albeit against the Buccaneers and Panthers.
15. BROWNS (3-2, LW: 21): The Browns have won three straight. They showed against the Bills they are resilient.
16. Dallas Cowboys (2-3, LW: 18): The Cowboys lost, but move up a notch for matching the Broncos down to the last minute.
17. New York Jets (3-2, LW: 26): The Jets shouldn’t be this good, but rookie quarterback Geno Smith stunned the Falcons in Atlanta.
18. Houston Texans (2-3, LW: 15): Gary Kubiak has to get things fixed quickly in Houston or the season and his job might be finished.
19. Tennessee Titans (3-2, LW: 14): The Titans are not the same team without injured quarterback Jake Locker.
20. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3, LW: 23): The Eagles beat the Giants and should be able to take care of Tampa Bay on the road.
21. Atlanta Falcons (1-4, LW: 17): The Falcons can’t use a difficult schedule for caving into the Jets on the final drive Monday night.
22. San Diego Chargers (2-3, LW: 16): The Chargers looked like a shaky team losing to the Raiders in the intimidating Black Hole.
23. Buffalo Bills (2-3, LW: 19): Losing EJ Manuel to a knee injury is forcing the Bills to turn to former Browns quarterback Thad Lewis.
24. Oakland Raiders (2-3, LW: 28): The Raiders won’t challenge for a playoff spot, but they look better than they did last season.
25. Washington Redskins (1-3, LW: 24): The Redskins are rested after their bye. Robert Griffin III meets the Cowboys in Dallas next on Sunday night.
26. St. Louis Rams (2-3, LW: 25): The Rams did what they were supposed to do in their last game. They pounded hapless Jacksonville.
27. Carolina Panthers (1-3, LW 22): The Panthers have outscored opponents, 74-58, but still have a losing record.
28. Minnesota Vikings (1-3, LW: 27): Josh Freeman will need time to save the day at quarterback for the Vikings.
29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4, LW: 29): Switching to Mike Glennon at quarterback can’t make the winless Buccaneers any worse.
30. Pittsburgh Steelers (0-4, LW: 30): The Steelers should get on the winning track this week when they play the Jets in the Meadowlands.
31. New York Giants (0-5, LW: 31): There is no debate which Manning brother is having the better season this year.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5, LW: 32): First-year head coach Gus Bradley never thought taking over a bad football team would be easy.

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About the Author

Jeff has covered the Cleveland Browns since 1981. He also covers the Lake Erie Monsters of the American Hockey League and the Cleveland Gladiators in the Arena Football League. Reach the author at jschudel@news-herald.com
or follow Jeff on Twitter: @jsbrownsinsider.